Camera.



C. THOMA, JR. & W. THOMA.

CAMERA. APPLICATION men MAY 7, 1913.

Patented Feb. 1, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES THClMA, JIL, AND WALTER THOMA, OF CARLSTADT, NEW JERSEY.

GAMER-A.

Application filed May 7, 1913.

To a/Z 10710711, it only concert:

Be it known that we, (invites Tiioiu, Jr., and ll AI/Illlt Tnorrx, citizens of the United States and residentsiot Carlstadt, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cameras, of which the following is a specification.

This is a companion application to one filed December 4, 1912, Serial No. 734,807.

The present invention relates generally to cameras, and its main object is to lessen the possibility of doubleexposure or the making of more than one exposure on the same plate or piece of film One feature of the invention resides in a latch which automatically engages with the shutteroperating member when the same is operated to prevent further operation of the latter and means for releasing said latch from the said operating member.

Another feature consists in having shutter controlling means on the head whit is extensibly connected to the casing, in having a releasing means for the controlling means extending from the casing to the extensible head and in having an actuating means on the casing for operating the releasing means.

Other features of construction, combination of parts and arrangement of elements will appear as the specification proceeds.

1n the accompanying drawings the invention is embodied in a concrete and preferred form. but changes of construction may be made without departing from the spirit or scope oi the invention.

In the said drawings: Figure l is a perspective view of a camera embodying the iiiveution. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the releasing means. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the shutter, part oi the shutter operating means. the latch and its connections. with the releasing means in section, and with the parts in the normal position. Fig. i is a view partly broken away of the shutter operating member, latch and its connections. showing the latch in engagement with the shiltter operating member. Fig. 5 is a. detail view of the actuating means on the casing, partly in section.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

10 indicates the'casing of a camera. 11 is a head extensibly connected to the casing Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1., 1916.

Serial No. 766,050.

by the bellows 12, and capable of being housed within the casing by sliding on the guides 1 within the casing. ii is a foldable support pivotally connected to the casing and provided with guides 15 on which the head 11 slides when moving in its extended position.

The foregoing is a typical extensible camera structure, and is merely one out of many that could be selected for the purpose of illustration.

Mounted on the extensible head is the shutter 16.

17 is a shutter operating member which may be actuated by hand or by means of a bulb 18 in a well-known manner. As here shown the member 17 is pivoted at 19 and is provided with an outstanding pin 20.

21 is a latch pivoted at 22 and having a hook 23 adapted to engage the pin 20.

The spring 2 1 normally tends to hold the member 17 in its inoperative position or to give it a bias toward that position.

25 is a spring which constantly urges the hook 23 to engage the pin 20, so that when the member 17 is depressed the hook 23 will automatically pass over the pin 20 and will hold the member 17 in an intermediate position (Fig. l) and will prevent the member 14" from returning to its original position (Fig. 3).

Suitable means For releasing the latch from the shutter operating member are provided as follows: 26 is a bar co-extensive with the i'oldable support 14-. being, in this case. mounted on the said support intermediate the guides 15. The bar 26 is so mounted as to have a movement substantially at right angles to the extensible movement of the head 11. and preferably. as shown. it swings in a vertical plane substantially at right angles to the extensible movement of the head. In the particular form the bar 26 is mounted on a horizontal axis substantially parallel to the axis of the extensible head 11, there being cars 27 which are journahal on horizontal pins 28 carried by the foldable support 14-. A spring 29 serves to hold the bar 26 in its upright position.

Pivoted on the extensible head is a lever 30 which may either be considered as part of the releasing means or as a part of the controlling means for the shutter operating means. This lever 30 is pivoted at 31 and has its lower end adjacent to the bar 526 1116i the reel. disk 46 hidden by the black while is upper end h as a forked portion portici' 9 cngagin a stntl on the latch 21. l r hen the shutter set for instantaneous Suitable actuating means are provided on exposure by means of the pointer in a tne casing 10, ljieing shown here as he i we l-hnown manner the depression oi? the 70 conncc il with. the fihn winrl device inen'iher 1'17 produces the t following results: As here shown there provided a pivoted The tail. end ill-oi the member '17 engages ineniflsi 36 hinged. at bi, so that when the of the crescent-shaped lever 53, pivoted handle is raised into opera ive noat 54- thereby counteracting the sitienythe ends 39 of said hantlle press the l ring 5 3 which normally serves '75 member 256 to the left in l 5'3. Connected to l er 55 in the position shown in to the outer end 40 ef the member 36 a rod i1 the en l of said lever :33. or pin t passing threngh the casing pre- This uses the end 56 to pass into a position. vided at its other end with a nieniw ift Where it'eill tl e ")in 57 of the shutter aclaptetl to engage the bar 526 when. thv .w lclohe' ring 51 and 59. have new acable sup iiort ll projwteil, and adapted to HIM/Ll se far tl at they become disengaged engage the lever 50 zl'rect when the head ll and the spring returns the leYer to its is housed Within the casing 10. original position, the end. 56 engaging; the When the handle 38 is raised, the meniher pin. 5'? to move the shutter ring to open 20 is pressed to the left (Fig. l1: the the shutter. Eventually, the end 56- (lisen- 35 heazl il housed within the casing the l'neingages from pin 57. l he spring 59 new her 42 will engage lever 30 and. tilt the same acts to mere the ring 58 in the opposite (liin one direction. lfthe head 11 is prejected lectien to close the shutter. All this is of on the gnitles 15 the inenihei. 42 will en course instantaneous and the operation of the 2G, and the latter will in turn tilt it Z PiCQ c fi e H 1 W h fltfl 90 the lever 30. HiltGLl'lil position as shown, it will If the operating ineinher has been tleprerent 1e member 1'? from returning to pressed, the latch E21 will engage 119 pin 'ts ori 'inal position after being depressed 3 en shown l ancl will therefore not inte'rengage.

, {NHL the parts Wlll occupy the L cs1 if t i new tg j fl t 1 5S semi-e1 tly when member 1': is aq'ain Lie 9 7 either 17 as;

1H1 its Siil'OnIQ Wlll he too I ssel it will not actuate the crescente. his inuieates that a iil lever 53 and the shutter will remain new section of film nas not been mover-l. into .ul 'ihe n'ieinher 1'4 will only return to position. The operator W ll new BSD the 1t llleltll position arter the operation at the i handle 3,8 to \-'lll(l the film ind in se (lei rim to ioning means. wa Willmove theznemhcrs36,- l w ifnen the pointer 50 1s moved into the swing the lever either (lir irthroi time exposure position 1 L i. n'ell'known aml "the member 17 is iiepresset ts nori'nal position, the latter will he shutter to he opened but, Owing; 1% .ie interengagenient oi? certain parts 0 ld ."@fi" ii with other mechanism, 110; imvh, caused by the shifting ell the painter ngag'gg will he re irrespe i, the swing 59 is prevented from. moving 45 position 01' the hea l the s' he ring; 5a to close the shntteig and eonseme at any point thereet or Wlihllfi the rashg 1t). onently prev-saith j parts and "from llf desired an inoicating dwirrc l l 'nx ll hen in this position the the bar 26., so that the latch. h; engi red frcin the pin 20, and the will iinnieoiatel return the meme its original position. The member now he operate-(l to inelie another ex" From this it that the v r pert l.

h 21 Will pass over the' pin 20 hut n ed 7 prhvieled to show whether or not latch H l is released fre i the shutter e ierating net therewith since theshutt '1' its 50 member. will when iltljllSllQd to the time exposure 11; ll ln the form here shown two openings position, hol l the parts in an intermediate l and are provirled. the extensible head. position. When the member 11' is depressed In line with these openings but spaced :1 (lis' second time from its intermediate. positance therefrom, are two disks anti &7 the "tien, the time exposing mechanism, which is 55 former being red and the latter white. 'lhe of the usual construction anl not shown ize i latch 21 carries a tail piece 48 provided with permits the parts :36 and 5'4" to become disa portion 49 mlapted to swing between the engaged and. the shutter will be closed'hy openings 44-45 anl disks ill -47. This the action at the spring; a9, and; it the latch portion 49 is preferably of the same color 21 were not present, the time mechanism a0 (say Black) as the celor of the head. "When WOUlCl cause 51 and 52 to interengage, which we the latch 21 engages the pin '26 (Fig. 4c) the hy the presence of the latch 21. is prevented red. disk 46 will be exposed and the White engl censequently when the niemher l? is disk l7 will be covered by the portion 49, again depressed the shutter will not he When the latch 21 and 'pin 20 are disenopened. c5 gaged, (Fig. 3) the white disk 47 is exposed; When the pointer 50 is set for hnlh ere 13a )osure in a well-known manner, the down- .vard movement of the member 17 will not cause the parts 56 and 57 to become disengaged, and the shutter will therefore remain open as long as the member 17 remains depressed. \Vhen, however, the member 17 is released and returns toward its original position the engaged and the shutter closed. This will take place while the member 17 moves from its depressed position to the position where the pin 20 engages with the latch 21 and, as

before, the parts 51-52 will not interengage. Therefore the shutter cannot be opened by depressing the member 17, unless the latch 21 has meanwhile been rel used.

'From the foregoing it will appear that the latch will prevent a second expos gtre under certain conditions whether the shutter is set for instantaneous, bulb or time exposure, and at the same time itwill permit the second partial movement of the member 17 to close the shutter when it is set for time exposure, and will permit the partial upward movement of the member 17 to close the shutter when set for bulb exposure. The latch 21 is thus independent of the adjusting devices comprising the member 50 and the various levers such as 62 and 64, and will perform its functions irrespective of the position of the adjusting means'for settingthe shutter with different exposures,

It is further apparent that the releasing device can be actuated to release the shutter operating member, whether the extensible head 11 is housed within the casing, or whether it is in its extended positionand at any point in its extended position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a camera, a shutter, a shutter operating member having'a bias toward its inoperative position and so arranged when operated the first time to open the shutter and when operated the second time to close the shutter, a latch held out of engagement With the shutter operating member when the latter is in its inoperative position, means for automatically causing said latch to engage said shutter operating member, upon the I same being actuated. to prevent it from returning to its original position but permitting a second movement thereof, and means for releasing the latch from engagement with the shutter operating member to permit the latter to return to its initial position.

2. In a camera, a shutter. a pivotally supported shutter. operating member having a bias toward its inoperative position, a latch held out of engagement with the shutter op arating member when the latter is in its inooerative position, means for autonmtically ising said latch to engage said shutter operating member, upon the same being actuated, to hold it in an intermediate posi tion and to prevent it from returning to its parts 56 and 57 will be dis-- original position, and means for releasing the latch from engagement with the shutter operating member to permit the latter to return, to its initial position.

3. A camera comprising a casing, a head having extensible connection with the casing, a shutter, shutter operating means, and controlling means adapted to engage the shutter operating means to prevent a repeated oper ation of the same, all mounted on the extensible head, releasing means for causing the controlling mains to disengage the shutter operating means, pivoted to have a movement substantially at right angles to the axis of the extensible head, operative means on the casing, and connecting means therefrom to the releasing means for actuating the latter.

1. A camera comprising a casing, a head having extensible connection with the :asing, a shutter,Ishutter operating means, and controlling nieans adapted to engage the shutter operating means, all mounted on the extensible head, releasing means for causing the controlling means to disengage the shutter operating means mounted to swing in a vertical plane on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the extensible head, and means on the casing for actuating the releasing meansf 5. A camera comprising a casing, a fold- I able support connected with the casing, a

head normally housed within the casing and having extensible connection with the casing both the extended and folded position of the head.

6. In a camera, a shutter, a shutter operating member arranged to have first a relatively long movement to effect the opening of the shutter and a second andshorter movement to efl'eet the closing of the shut ter, a latch adapted to engage the shutter operating member upon the relatively long movement thereof taking place to hold the said shutter operating member in an intermediate position and thereby permit the relatively short closing movement of the said member while preventing the relatively long opening movement of the said member, ai d means for releasing the latchfrom the shutter operating member.

7. In a camera, a shutter,shutter operating means, a latch, means fo' automatically engaging the latch with the shutt'er operating means when the latter is actuated, means for releasing the latch from the shutter operating means, two signal disks, and means on the latch adapted to cover one of said disks When the latch engages the shutter operating member and to expose the other disk, and vice versa when the latch disengaged from the shutter operating means.

R. in a camera, a shutter, shuttei." operat ing means, a latch, n eans for automatically engaging tl e latch with the shutter operating means when the latter is actuated, means for releasing the latch from. the shutter op erating means, signal disks, one of which being adapted to be exposed by the latch when the same engages the shutter operating member and the other of -which being; adapted to be covered by the latch when the same is disengaged from the shutter op erating means.

In a camera, a casing, a head. having extensible connection with the casing, a sluuter shutter operating means, and shut ter controlling means, all mounted on the head, means for releasing the latch, a signal disk on the extensible head, and means carried by the latch for exposing said dish when the latch engages the shutter operating member and to cover said disk when the latch is disengaged from the shutter operating; means. I

10. A camera comprising: a casing, a head, a shutter carried thereby, a support for said head, shutter operating means can ried by the shutter, shutter controllii' g means mounted on the s hitter, means on th casing for actuating; the controlling means, and a member pivoted to the support and extending longitudinally thereupon for pro viding connection between the actuating means and said controllingz means.

11. A camera comprising: a, casing, a head, a shutter carried thereby. a support for said head, shutter o 'ierating means ca ried by the head, sluitter controlling means mounted on the head. a member of said controlling; means depending: in close proximity to said support, a member pivoted to saidv support to have substantially a horizontal movement and extending; longitudinally thereupon and adapted to be brought to engage with said depending member "for operating the controlling means. and. means on the casin tor actuatin said horizontaliv la k movable member.

12. A camera comprising": a casing, a folding shutter head support, a shutter head haw ing an extensible connection with the (351513155 and adjustable on said support, a shutter and mechanism for operating the same mounted on said head, means for controlling the movement of said shutter operating; mecl'ianisin and having a portion thereof depending; in close proximity to said support, a member mounted on said support to have sabstzn'rtialh. horinontal movement and extending" longitudinally therenpcn in a plane parsupport when in use, a shutter, shutter ope-rable support connected to the easin. a head normally housed within the casing and h 111;; an extensible connection with the ca so that the same ma be extended upon saia ating means, and controlling means adapt to ei'lgage thx shu' er o crating ilitfilllr'i, z i mounted on the extensible head, an actuating as device on the casing, means providing a or Q nection between said actuating means and controlling means to o erate the latter when the can'iera is extended to render the controller hieilcctive upon operation of the actuating means, and another means to operate the controller upon operation oi? the actuating]; means to render the same inetlieo ti've when the. camera is folder.

l-l. A camera comprising: a casing for the 9D sensitised material, a second casing, a shotter and mechanism for operating the same carried by the said second casing, and shut ter controlling a'ierhanism inouiited in said second casing so as to be accessible and eontrolling the operation of the shutteroperalw inn; mechanisn' upon ope ation to prevent a further operation of the tter thena'f 15. A camera eolnprisu f: a casing, as ter, means to' operate the shutter, member adapted house said Shiner said means, and means pivoted in said heat,

l 0 ii shutter operating means af er an operation 1 the saline, a releasing men'iber pivoted. to have a movement at substantially right angles to the axis oi the head and adapted to engage the controlling means and cotipen ate therewith to release the shutter operating); means, and means for actuating the releasing means.

11in a. camera, the combination with a 12( shutter and mechanism arranged when open ated the first time to open the chatter and. when opeated the second time to close the shutter, of a controller arranged to engage with the operatii'ig mechanism upon the first operation of said mechanism to prevent a movement correspoiuling to the shutter opening movement of ,said mechanism, while permitting a movement of said mechanism to close the shutter, and means for rendering the said controller ineffective.

18. Ina camera, the combination With a shutter and a member arranged When operated the first time to open the shutter and when operated a second time to close the shutter, of a controller arranged to engage with the said operating member upon the first operation of said member to prevent the same from moving to again open the shutter, While permitting the said member to have a movement corresponding to the shut ter closing movement of the same, and means for releasing the controller from engagement with the operatirg member.

19. In a camera, the combination With a shutter and an operating member therefor arranged to have first a relatively long movement to effect the opening of the shutter and a second and shorter movement to effect the closing of the shutter, of a controller adapted to engage with the operating member and arranged to permit the rela- CHARLES THOMA, JR. WALTER THOMA.

\Vitnesses:

AXEL V. BEEKEN, LAURA E. SMITH. 

